For Such a Time as This - Encouragement Café - December 5, 2014

For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?

Then Esther sent this reply to Mordecai: “Go, gather together all the Jews who are in Susa, and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my attendants will fast as you do. When this is done, I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish.

Esther 4:14-16 NIV

Entrée:

Have you ever been asked to take a risk? To do something uncomfortable or embarrassing? What about life-threatening?

Will Rogers said,

Why not go out on a limb? That’s where the fruit is.

Our society makes heroes out of risk-takers in the movies and video games. Maybe we are content sitting in our recliner watching rather than becoming a spectator in our own thrill ride.

I think that was Esther when Mordecai asked her to approach the king. Her life was pretty posh. She was living the good life until he told her the plans to destroy, kill and annihilate the Jews. Her first response was YOU WANT ME TO DO WHAT? That’s a certain death sentence.

She reacted like we often do, pointing out the impossibility of the risk. But Mordecai reminded her that God was big enough to handle this, the question she had to answer was,

Am I willing to answer the call?

How did Esther move from fear to unflinching faith?

She realized:

1. Urgent – The situation was dire. Destroy, kill and annihilate are pretty forceful words. Yet Jesus tells us in John 10:10 that we face the same urgency today,

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy

Satan is ferociously at work today as he was then.

2. Call – God placed her in this position, at this time to do what He needed to be accomplished.

3. Others – She couldn’t do this alone. Enlisting others is key. David, Daniel, and the disciples found strength when they fasted and prayed. She needed that strength.

4. Answer – It is show time. Time to get off the couch and into action. “I will GO to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish.”

God calls each one of us to do things outside of our cushy conditions. He called me to leave comfy and start a radio program for women. Why me? There were more qualified people.

Because the thief is destroying my girls,He whispered to my heart.

Realizing my weaknesses, I enlisted help. Women in my church and across the nation rallied to make Encouragement Café happen. It’s been five years and sometimes I wonder, is His message still reaching His girls?

At our November 2nd women’s event at Pinedale, God confirmed the call. Lorraine drove out of her way to tell me her story that day. She had wandered away from God for 30 years. Eight months prior she ‘happened’ onto our show, then found our website. Every day for five months, she read the devotionals and listened to archived shows. She went back to church and surrendered her life to Jesus.

Esther learned and so did I, when God calls, He is only looking for our obedience. He is the one who brings the power, the people, the plan and the purpose.

Are you listening? Trust me, He’s calling.

Take Out:

We can’t see what God’s doing in our lives, yet we can trust His sovereignty. When we choose to serve faithfully even during the mundane times, we place God’s kingdom above our own comfort,

Blessings follow obedience.

Pray and listen for God’s soft whisper then marvel as you experience once in a lifetime moments.

Dessert:

Heavenly Father, we can’t always see You because we are in the way. We can’t imagine what You can do with us because we don’t see what You see. You call us to be obedient and to be willing to serve You at any time and any place. We pray for all Your children to answer, “Yes Daddy” when You call. In Jesus’ Precious Name We Pray, Amen.

The conversation at the Café is always hot and fresh. We invite you to listen in as Luann and Friends gather around the table to discuss everyday life.

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